Abbas has asked the International Court at The Hague to examine claims of "war crimes" that the IDF committed during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip.

Chief war criminal Gabi Ashkenazi has been kept busy by involvement in a holding action against the threat that Israeli would be brought before the court as a result of charges that the IDF committed war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has warned the Palestinian Authority that it would condition permission for a second cellular telephone provider to operate in the West Bank - an economic issue of critical importance to the PA leadership - on the Palestinians withdrawing their request at the International Court.